Town boss visits local high school

10 June 2013

Graham Alexander was in attendance as Fleetwood High School celebrated a great year of sporting success, with one student in particular winning the end of year Sports Personality award.

The Fleetwood Town manager witnessed a number of displays from the gymnastics team, dance team and from a number of other sport teams to celebrate the occasion which saw year 10 student Zowie Ralphs pick up the Sports Personality award for her commitment to sport in and outside of school.

The 41-year-old was full of praise for the pupils achievements over the course of the year not only in sport but academically and also highlighted the importance of a good education as well as insisting it is good for Fleetwood Town to maintain a good link within the community.

“It was great. I remember these from my school days and they are big nights for the kids involved.” Alexander said, “They work hard all year round, they’re enthusiastic about their sport and their school and to get acknowledged is a big thing. It was a great night and a good turn out with all parents cheering on the kids and it was fantastic to get invited here.

“We speak to our apprentices that go to college even though they are full time footballers now it is important that you carry on your education. It isn’t the most secure of jobs and you need education for every walk of life, it is important and has to run alongside all the sporting achievements and I think that is what the school is doing here. They want to acknowledge both sides of school life and which is sport and which is the academic side.

“It was great. Some of them have come in their Fleetwood shirts and speaking to the kids afterwards after they have got their awards and they have all got smiles on their faces as you would expect, its great to be apart of it I think it is important that there is a strong link there between the schools, the community and the football club because at the end of the day we are all apart of the same team and that is representing Fleetwood so it is important we take that responsibility seriously.”

Richard Barnes, who is the head teacher at Fleetwood High and is also a Fleetwood Town fan, says it was great to recognise the success of the students both collectively and individually, whilst also pointing out Fleetwood’s success on the field recently is a great example to his students.

He said: “It has been a fantastic evening. It has been great to look back on our successes over the previous year and celebrate our collective and individual achievements.
“It’s a fantastic example of having high ambitions and aiming high in life and working hard and looking after yourself and you will go on to succeed and achieve things. That is really important in the town of Fleetwood that people have aspirations to go on and succeed because they can achieve what they want in life.

“It’s amazing (Fleetwood playing their first season in the football league). The town has had a number of difficult times over the years and seeing the town going on to succeed and achieve at a high level sets an example to the people of Fleetwood that can go on to what they want to be.”

Fifteen-year-old Zowie Ralphs picked up the Sports Personality award and also picked up 10 accommodations for her dedication to sport. The year 10 netball-loving student takes part in a number of sports and says she wants to try more in the future.

She said: “I won the Sports Personality award, people have won it in the past and have been privileged to win it and I am the same and I am really privileged.

“I have put so many hours and I have volunteered out of school. I have just taken the opportunities off my teachers to go out into Primary schools and other school opportunities.

“Just strive to achieve and do your personal best because that is the only way you will get to be where you want to be.”

Chloe Bee has finished her first year at Fleetwood High and was part of the gymnastics team to give a demonstration. She fully enjoyed the evening and taught Alexander a thing or two on the basics of vaulting.

She said: “I enjoyed it and it was really fun. I did a demonstration on how to vault.”